The present invention relates to a sample positioning stage, such as a stage used to position a sample for inspection by an optical inspection apparatus, for instance a microscope or spectroscope.
Sample positioning stages can be used, for example, to position samples relative to microscopes and spectroscopes, and can comprise an examination plate onto which a sample to be inspected can be placed. A generally planar examination plate is typically mounted on at least one carriage so that the plate can move relative to the carriage in at least one substantially horizontal degree of freedom. This enables the position of a sample on the examination plate to be moved relative to an examination device which is inspecting the sample. Powered sample positioning stages include a drive system which can be operated to move the examination plate relative to the carriage. The drive system can control the relative position of the examination plate according to a pre-programmed algorithm, and/or according to an input signal received from an input device such as a trackball or joystick.